Holidays in Cuba

An introduction to Cuba

Cuba's something of a maverick among the Caribbean islands. Granted, it's got all the tropical stereotypes – sands whiter than a celebrity's smile and waters so blue they could have been digitally enhanced. But it stands alone with a city that's salsa-ed its way into the superleague. Put simply, Havana is the cultural hit of Latin America. Coming here's a bit like flicking through an old photo album and pulling out a snapshot of a long-forgotten time. Amid great swirls of cigar smoke, old men knock back early-morning mojitos. Vintage Cadillacs purr through the streets. And crumbling Spanish palaces part with their ice-cream coloured paint. You get the impression the clocks stopped when the revolutionaries arrived in the Fifties and have refused to budge ever since. Not surprisingly, there are quite a few boxes to tick here. Stand in Revolution Square and picture Che Guevara igniting a country's passion. Watch fat Bolivars being rolled in the famous cigar factories. And share a few pesos with the quartets strumming Buena Vista classics in the old town. Just expect to do it all with a swing in your hips - this is, after all, the city of salsa. But it's not all about Cuba's capital. Needless to say, that classic Caribbean coastline deserves a decent wedge of your time, too. Just a couple of hours from the city is the country's premier beach hub, Varadero. Here, a colossal stretch of sand takes centre-stage, with the A to Z of watersports providing the supporting cast. Another hot favourite is Guardalavaca whose turquoise water hides coral in rainbow brights. By now you're probably beginning to get the picture. Cuba's one of a kind. With beaches to eclipse Barbados and a city to rival Rio, it's a salsa-loving, cigar-sucking rebel you can't help but love. Che would be proud.

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